The Yorktown Historical Society announces the key sponsor for the race is Kraft Foods, Inc., lead benefactors are Sings Ink and WHUD, and primary patrons are Club Fit, Northern Westchester Music School, Poland Springs, Putnam Northern Westchester Irish Society. Community contributors to the race include the Cooper family, Foley's Graphic Center, Garofalo Mortgage Corporation, Meighan & Necarsulmer, Mohegan Lake Motors Inc., Putnam County Savings Bank, robert f. giordano ASSOCIATES Inc., Sanctuary Country Club, Sinapi's Ceola Manor, Turcos Supermarket, and Yorktown Pharmacy Inc. A number of civic organizations, businesses and government agencies have been leading the way with cooperation such as the Town of Yorktown, Westchester County Parks, and the Department of Environmental Protection, and IBM. Volunteers from Support Connection and Club Fit will be participating as well.

Proceeds from the race will benefit the Yorktown Historical Society's Preservation Fund. The Society's Historic Preservation Fund was established to ensure that our heritage -- the buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes that make up our rich legacy from the past -- is kept alive.

Bob Giordano, a Society Trustee, has been organizing the race, which will proceed along the Croton Reservoir. "The scenic waterway of the Croton Reservoir system is a wonderful landscape. The engineering feat of the original Croton Dam in 1842 is testament to the capabilities of our community, and it is recognized nationally with its listing on the National Register of Historic Places," noted Bob Giordano.

The race will take place on Sunday, August 29, 1999, and the race registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. at IBM off Route 134 in Yorktown. The 6.2-mile race, managed by the Taconic Road Runners, officially starts at 9:00 a.m. and it will conclude near the New Croton Dam. Afterwards in Croton Gorge Park, awards and official ceremonies will take place.

Entertainment highlighting the ethnic heritage of the Irish and Italian workers who helped build the Croton Dams will follow the race. Visit the Yorktown Historical Society's web site at www.yorktownhistory.org to see the interesting photo collection of the Croton Dam under the photo archives section.

The Yorktown Historical Society is an incorporated educational organization, which was established to bring together those people interested in the history of the Yorktown area. Residents of Yorktown established the Yorktown Historical Society in 1976, and received its charter in 1980. The Society is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization whose mission is to foster public awareness and pride in preserving Yorktown's historical, agricultural, and cultural heritage.